FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas women’s basketball head coach Mike Neighbors has signed the 2024 NJCAA DI Women’s Basketball Player of the Year in Kiki Smith, as announced Thursday. Smith is coming off a highly decorated freshman season in junior college, which was highlighted by winning the JUCO National Tournament with Hutchinson Community College. The Topeka, Kansas native will have three years of eligibility at Arkansas and is the sixth signee ahead of the 2024-25 season, fourth this offseason.

Kiki Smith | G | 5-7 | Topeka, Kan. | Hutchinson CC/Topeka HS

#SigningStories, as told by Arkansas women’s basketball head coach Mike Neighbors

“I wish Kiki Smith was coming out of Hutch this year. She’s exactly what we need… A maker, NOT a shooter!”

That was my exact text to an assistant as I was returning from the National Junior College Tournament in Casper, Wyoming.

All of the buzz around the event was that Kiki would return to Hutch for her sophomore year, but after completing their 37-0 undefeated season, the buzz changed.

After an amazing campus visit with her family, it was obvious our initial thoughts were accurate.

All levels of basketball look for “180” shooters. Shooters who have a combined total of 180 when you add their FG%, 3PFG% and FT%.

Over the course of 37 games against the best possible competition, with the best plans to stop her, Kiki shot 179.9.

I’m a round-up type. I had to be because I made a lot of 79.5s in school!

But I know for certain we’d signed a good one when Kiki didn’t want to round-up. She wants to shoot 180 next year.

Welcome home, Kiki!

THE ACCOLADES:

• Named the 2024 NJCAA DI Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and First Team All-American
• Tabbed a NJCAA First Team selection, the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Player of the Year and KJCCC Freshman of the Year
• Started in all 37 games, logging 17.6 points per game on 55.9 percent from the field (237-for-424), 44.4 percent from beyond the arc (82-for-103) and 79.6 percent from the free throw line (82-for-103) with 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.7 steals per game
• Her 652 points led the team and set the Hutchinson CC freshman scoring record. She was also fifth in the country in scoring and second in single-season points scored in school history. Her 82 3-pointers set a school record
• Added 20 blocked shots and averaged 30.5 minutes per game
• Earned MVP honors at the JUCO National Tournament, in which she led the Blue Dragons to an unblemished 37-0 record and the national championship
• During the national championship run, she tallied 68 points, 14 rebounds and nine steals in the national tournament. In the national title game, Smith logged 23 points and four steals against Northwest Florida State
• Logged a career-high 33 points off 12-17 shooting from the field, 6-of-11 from beyond the arc, against Pratt CC
• Named a 6A All-State recipient all four years at Topeka High School and a three-time First Team honoree
• Averaged more than 20 points per game during her junior and senior seasons in high school